Schedule of Prayer for Assembly Announced
A prayer initiative focused on the 73rd International General Assembly of the Church of God and beyond has been released with a beginning date of Sunday, May 30, 2010.
The schedule is designed for individuals and churches to focus prayer toward various aspects of the General Assembly which takes on July 27-30, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. Each prayer emphasis (prayer day) comes with a scripted prayer from which to build a prayer focus. Specific focuses include providence, purity of heart, direction and power.
Doug small, director of Project Pray, has been appointed by General Overseer Raymond Culpepper to coordinate the prayer initiative.
The schedule incorporates the already-scheduled Great Days of Prayer and a 30-day post-Assembly prayer which begins September 1. Great Days of Prayer are scheduled for Sunday July 4 and Sunday, October 3. A special called day of prayer on Sunday, July 25 will take place two days before the Assembly begins.
The following are the scripted prayers for each Sunday leading up to the General Assembly. For more information visit the Project Pray Web site at www.projectpray.org.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
1. Providential Intervention. “God, we invite you to intervene in the affairs of the Church of God around the world. We pray that you will open doors to the nations. We pray for the hearts of kings and princes to be turned to you. We ask for divine favor. Direct our leaders. Secure our future. Renew our passion. Redirect us in missional ways. Intervene in places where hearts are weary and passions are waning. For the sake of your Son’s name – use this organization to fulfill your mission.”
Sunday, June 6
2. Purity of heart and motive. “Lord, may our motives be only to please you. May we not seek to make a name for ourselves. May we touch your glory. May nothing be done for vainglory or human praise. Stop, expose those who would preach for personal gain and profit, who would use the gospel as means to fame and power. Give us humble hearts. Purify our motives. Cleanse our hands and our hearts. May even the world praise us as having noble purposes.”
Sunday, June 13
3. Direction. “Lord, on issues facing the church, the General Council and the General Assembly, give direction. We ask for wisdom. We ask for guidance. We pray, in the decision process, not for a spirit of division, but of unity and conciliation. May we hear from heaven – from you. Speak to us and show us the way.”
Sunday, June 20
4. Provision. “Father, in an age when the economy of nations is in peril, we ask for provision from the table in heaven. Feed us. Care for us. Tend to your vision. Provide for you church. We are so close to finishing our obligation to the Great Commission. Fuel us with power that propels us forward. Fill us with the energy and want-to to move forward. May those among us who are so anxious to ‘go’, not be held back by lack. Open the windows of heaven. Provide for your bride, the Church!”
Sunday, June 27
5. Pervasive Missional Spirit. “Forgive us, Lord, for our self-serving ways. May we become others focused. Open our eyes to the harvest all around us. Renew a missional spirit within us. The pioneers were always about the next town. Renew that spirit in us. May our ears ring with a new Macedonian call, ‘Come here – and help us!’ All around are people without Christ. Raise up church-planters. Help us to reach the 2 billion that have never heard the name of Jesus. And help us to reach the children of those who have turned away from you.”
Sunday, JULY 4
GREAT DAY OF PRAYER
6. Presence. “Words won’t do it. Persuasive arguments won’t do it. Fancy appeals won’t break through. It is not more dazzle that is needed, it is your presence. Invade nations with an awareness that you are true and living God. Set whole cities back on their heels with arresting convicting power. Show up in ways that manifest your glory and stop the mouths of skeptics. Make the six-o’clock news. Most of us have never seen ‘Great Awakening’ glory. Some nations have never had a mighty move of God. Come Lord. Come to our General Assembly! Come to the Church of God. Renew us with your presence.”
Sunday, July 11
7. Power. “Lord, you promised that when the Spirit came, ordinary believers would act in extraordinary ways. Peter was transformed. Stephen stood bold as stones fell on him. Phillip was translated. Power makes all the difference in the world. Simple Pentecostal preachers stood down whole cities – because you showed up in power! Send your power on us. May we tremble again, under your mighty hand, and rise up in fresh boldness, emblazoned by your evident anointing.”
Sunday, July 18
8. Protection. “As people travel to the Assembly, keep them safe! Put your protective hand on us while in Orlando. Protect us from disunity. Protect us from the weariness of serial meetings. Protect our lips to offer pure and edifying speech. Protect our motives. Protect the integrity of our witness before the city. Protect our hearts from wandering in a place full of such enchanting distractions. May we realize that we are on Kingdom business. Protect us as we return, keeping fresh things you put in our hearts to share with those back home.”
Sunday, July 25
SPECIAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
September 30 Day Prayer Initiative
September 1 The Priority of Brokenness (Personal Repentance)
September 5 – 12 : 8 DAYS OF AWAKENING
September 8 The Place of the Solemn Assembly – The Church (Corporate Repentance)
A FRESH CALL TO SOLEMN ASSEMBLIES
September 15 The Prerogative of Servants – They Can Go Anywhere!
The Servant Heart – Access to Power.
September 19 – 26: 8 DAYS OF ACTION
September 22 The Privilege of Sharing God’s Love – Witness!
September 29 The Power of Living by God’s Principles – Discipleship!
October 3 – GREAT DAY OF PRAYER
International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem
